O'Neill/147th 1st Victory - Pfalz or DVll?

[nogalesace]

I've posed this same question to the OTF experts, but thought I'd throw it out to the forum crew to see if anyone has thoughts, opinions or advice.

The question concerns the aircraft identity of Ralph O'Neill's first victory on 2 July 1918, and there seems to be enough discrepancy to make definitive ID problematic. On the 2nd, the 147th encountered a two-tiered formation of German aircraft. One group attacked the upper formation, while O'Neill went after the lower bunch, claiming a victory. The squadron was ultimately credited with one victory which was shared by six pilots. To a man, everyone who filed a combat report (Gorrell), and described the opposition, identified the aircraft as Pfalz or Pfalz type. So far, so good, but here's where things start getting confusing. I found an online narrative of the scrap by one of the pilots involved in an article titled "Football In The Air" by a Laurence La Tourette Driggs. In it (probably a letter written home), the pilot describes the enemy aircraft as Fokkers. Yet in his combat report he states Pfalz! The mystery further deepens in Norman Franks "Over The Front". Here, O'Neill's first victory is listed as a Fokker DVll. However, another pilot involved in the same action who shared in the victory (though he was in the group that attacked the upper German formation), Ken Porter, has his first victory listed as a Pfalz. The source cited for both is USAF 133. Addtionally, Porter's DSC citation, as well as that of another pilot, specifically mentions "type Pfalz". O'Neill's DSC citation for the same action mentions no specific aircraft. Further, Ted Hamady's "Nieuport 28" states the opposition as twelve Pfalz while Jon Guttman's "USAS 1st Pursuit Group", says 12 Fokkers.

I realize pilots were often notorious for mis-identifying opposing aircraft, but would seem a stretch to mix up a Pfalz with a DVll or visa versa. It also seems that by the summer of 1918, many, if not most of the Jastas were equipped with DVlls. In Franks "Above The Lines", he indicates "by mid-June, all of JGI, three of JGII and most of JGIII were operating with the new Fokkers". So, despite the pilot descriptions, wouldn't it have been more likely they'd have encountered DVlls (or at least a mixed bag) as opposed to an entire formation of Pfalz? Or does the overwhelming group consenus convincingly prove aircraft type?

The reason for my interest is I've been researching O'Neill's career for a number of years and this is a discrepancy I'd like to clear up if at all possible. So if anyone has any thoughts, advice or information to impart, I'd much appreciate it.

Chris

[Kirk]

I wouldn't think mixing up a DVII with a Pfalz DXII would be a stretch. They have a lot of similarities. Since DXII's started reaching the front in July, it would be easy for Allied pilots to mix them up if they had never seen them before. I may be way off base, but thought I'd throw that out there.